Shivers of a Serpent

Chapter 3: Pure Preparation

DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.

Hermione sat, stunned.

Her worst nightmare had come true. Malfoy, the smarmy git that had bullied them since their arrival at Hogwarts; Malfoy, who boasted constantly about his money and "pure" blood; Malfoy, the embodiment of everything that Hermione hated about the wizarding world. How was she going to survive four whole weeks of him?

"arggggggghhh!!!!!!"

"What, Hermione? What is it?" Harry and Ron broke off their energetic high-fiving contest, rather alarmed by their friend's outburst of rage. "What's the matter?"

"That! That! is what's the matter!" She screamed angrily, jabbing her finger towards the Slytherin table. Harry and Ron looked rather bemused.

"What?" they said in unison.

"Malfoy! I've got Malfoy! For Four. Whole. Weeks." She groaned and buried her face in her hands. There was a moment of silence as Harry and Ron absorbed this piece of information.

"Err...well. crap. That's rotten luck, Hermione!" Ron said dubiously. They didn't quite know what to say, so Harry awkwardly patted her on the back, knowing they were both thinking the same thing - "glad it's not me!" Ron, being the less tactful of two, then proceeded to voice this opinion out loud, spraying the top of Hermione's head with bits of waffle in the process. Harry tried to rescue the precarious position Ron had put them in -

"But look on the bright side, Hermione! He's a boy, so you won't have to share a dorm with him!"

"Yeah..." she sighed. Hermione brought her head out from behind her hands, her eyes resigned to her fate.

"And, knowing Malfoy, he'll be doing namby-pamby subjects where he can prance around half naked or something, so you won't be in his classes!" Ron spat scornfully - as scornfully as you can whilst simultaneously cramming two sausages and an egg in your mouth.

Hermione was cheered a little as she tried, and failed, to picture Malfoy's slim, willowy body on the rugby pitch in the midst of beefy Upper Sixth Muggles. She giggled a little hysterically and the boys relaxed. They noticed Professor Dumbledore making his way towards the front of the hall and hurriedly tried to cram the last of the waffles in their mouths before the house elves magicked them away.

Dumbledore cleared his throat and began speaking to the hall of sixth-years.

"My students." He spread his hands warmly towards them in an open gesture. "Yesterday was a black mark on the history of our school." He paused for effect and looked round the hall. "I know that some among you are surprised at what you think is a certain...lack of punishment."

"However, you will be leaving us for a month to live with Muggle students at very much the same juncture in their lives as you. As you come to know and love these people" - Hermione heard several quiet snorts from the Slytherin table - "the true enlightenment will begin. This is far more important than punishment in any form."

"Needless to say, you will be representing your school at all times." Several students gave each other quizzical looks. "Yes, for although your new peers may be oblivious to your magical talents - and they will remain so, for use of magic will be banned - members of the staff, and also of the ministry, will be checking in on you from time to time to make sure things are running smoothly."

Dumbledore seemingly looked each and every student in the eye as he said sternly - "Go forth with open minds and hearts. Good luck." His hands fingered the timepiece hanging around his neck and the students watched him stride abruptly out of the hall as Professor McGonagall bustled up to the front trailing a long piece of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will proceed to the Entrance Hall to collect your bags. A member of staff will then escort you to your new schools by sidelong apparition. Abbott, Hannah and Nott, Theodore..."

Ron clapped Harry on the back and raised his eyebrows at Hermione. "I guess this is goodbye then! Owl us when you're sick of 'it'. I mean, him."

Hermione smiled weakly. "I don't think owls will be allowed Ron. But I can call you, I'm sure there's a payphone."

"Err, right," Ron said looking at Harry worriedly. Harry smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

"You'll be alright with me Ron. Centuries of prized Dursley knowledge in here," he said, tapping his temple. Ron grinned as Hermione heard Professor McGonagall call - "Potter, Harry - Weasley, Ronald." They got up and walked down the aisle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw table, turning round to give Hermione sympathetic grimaces as they went.

Hermione looked around the hall and saw that only a few students remained. Feeling a certain pair of eyes on her, she turned round to the Slytherin table to see Malfoy giving her a look of what could only be described as pure loathing. She quickly turned back to her plate, face flushed with anger. What had she done deserve this? Did the professors really think that absolutely anything positive would come out of this? Coming from a family like that, Malfoy was never going to change his ways. Was he?